World’s Largest Solar Thermal Power Project at Ivanpah Achieves Commercial
Operation
- All Three Units of 392 megawatt Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System Now
Delivering Solar Power to California’s Electric Grid -
Business Wire
NIPTON, Calif. -- February 13, 2014
NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG), through its wholly owned subsidiary NRG Solar,
LLC, today announced that the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is now
operational and delivering solar electricity to California customers. At full
capacity, the facility’s trio of 450-foot high towers produces a gross total
of 392 megawatts (MW) of solar power, enough electricity to provide 140,000
California homes with clean energy and avoid 400,000 metric tons of carbon
dioxide per year, equal to removing 72,000 vehicles off the road.
A view of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System tower 1 and power block
from the solar field. ...
A view of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System tower 1 and power block
from the solar field. Each tower is 459 feet tall, 150 feet taller than the
Statue of Liberty. (Photo: Business Wire)
This press release has an accompanying Smart Marketing Page providing further
details about the organization, products and services introduced below. You
can access the Smart Marketing Page via the following link:
http://smp.businesswire.com/pages/worlds-largest-solar-thermal-power-project-ivanpah-achieves-commercial-operation.
Ivanpah is a joint effort between NRG, Google, and BrightSource Energy.
Bechtel is the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor on the
project. The project received a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the US
Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office. The facility achieved commercial
operation on December 31, 2013. NRG will be the plant’s operator.
Ivanpah, which accounts for nearly 30 percent of all solar thermal energy
currently operational in the US, is the largest solar project of its kind in
the world. The project is the first to use BrightSource’s innovative solar
power tower technology to produce electricity, which includes 173,500
heliostats that follow the sun’s trajectory, solar field integration software
and a solar receiver steam generator. Since breaking ground in October 2010,
the project has created thousands of jobs and, at the peak of construction,
employed nearly 3,000 site workers who completed more than 8.35 million
man-hours. A total of approximately $650 million in salaries for construction
and operations is expected to be paid over the next 30 years.
“Cleantech innovations such as Ivanpah are critical to establishing America’s
leadership in large-scale, clean-energy technology that will keep our economy
globally competitive over the next several decades,” said Tom Doyle,
president, NRG Solar. “We see Ivanpah changing the energy landscape by proving
that utility-scale solar is not only possible, but incredibly beneficial to
both the economy and in how we produce and consume energy. Whether it’s
partnering, developing or investing, NRG will continue to provide a diverse
set of solutions and technologies to get the U.S. to the ultimate goal of
providing affordable, reliable clean energy for everyone.”
“Achieving commercial operation is a result of a well-coordinated effort
between the Ivanpah project affiliates and Bechtel,” said Toby Seay, president
of Bechtel’s power global business unit. “Consistent teamwork with a focus on
safety and quality is key to executing a project of this size and complexity.
It was a privilege to be a part of an iconic project that will bring clean,
sustainable power to tens of thousands of households for years to come.”
The solar energy harnessed from Ivanpah’s Units 1 and 3 are being sold to
Pacific Gas & Electric under two long-term power purchase agreements, while
the electricity from Unit 2 is being sold to Southern California Edison under
a similar contract.
"Congratulations to the Ivanpah team for achieving commercial operation," said
Rick Needham, Google's director of energy and sustainability. "At Google
weinvest in innovative renewable energy projects that have the potential to
transform the energy landscape and help provide more clean power to businesses
and homes around the world. Ivanpah is a shining example of such a project and
we're delighted to be a part of it."
“This is an exciting culmination of many years of hard work by all of our
partners at Ivanpah. The completion of this world-class project is a watershed
moment for solar thermal energy. With all three units now delivering power to
our customers’ specifications, BrightSource has demonstrated its solar power
technology at scale,” said David Ramm, chairman and CEO of BrightSource
Energy. “This is a great kickoff to 2014, as BrightSource focuses increasingly
on international markets and applications for our solar steam technology.”
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is the largest of 11 operational
utility-scale solar facilities in three states in which NRG has ownership
interest. Ivanpah is also one of several NRG assets that are subject to a
Right of First Offer Agreement between NRG and its publicly owned subsidiary,
NRG Yield, Inc. (NYSE:NYLD).
About NRG and NRG Solar
NRG is leading a customer-driven change in the U.S. energy industry by
delivering cleaner and smarter energy choices, while building on the strength
of the nation’s largest and most diverse competitive power portfolio. A
Fortune 500 company, we create value through reliable and efficient
conventional generation while driving innovation in solar and renewable power,
electric vehicle ecosystems, carbon capture technology and customer-centric
energy solutions. Our retail electricity providers – Reliant, Green Mountain
Energy, Energy Plus and NRG Residential Solutions – serve millions of
residential and commercial customers throughout the country. More information
is available at www.nrgenergy.com. Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and
follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.
NRG, through its subsidiaries including NRG Solar LLC, has more than 2,000 MW
of photovoltaic and solar thermal projects in operation, under construction or
in development across the southwestern United States. More information is
available at www.nrgsolar.com.
About BrightSource Energy, Inc.
BrightSource Energy, Inc. provides the world’s premier solar field technology
for concentrating solar power systems to deliver reliable clean energy to
utilities and industrial companies. For more information on BrightSource
Energy please visit www.BrightSourceEnergy.com.
About Google Inc.
Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people
connect with information. Google’s innovations in web search and advertising
have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most
recognized in the world.
About Bechtel
Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and
construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the
job done right—no matter how big, how complex, or how remote. Bechtel operates
through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure;
power generation, communications, and transmission; mining and metals; oil,
gas, and chemicals; and government services. Since its founding in 1898,
Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries on all seven
continents. Today, our 53,000 colleagues team with customers, partners, and
suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 50 countries. Visit www.bechtel.com.
NRG Safe Harbor Disclosure
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain
risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include NRG’s expectations regarding
the Company’s Ivanpah solar project and forward-looking statements typically
can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and
similar terms. Although NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it
can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct,
and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among
others, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the power industry,
competition in wholesale power markets, the volatility of energy and fuel
prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in the
wholesale power markets, changes in government regulation of markets and of
environmental emissions, and our ability to achieve the expected benefits and
timing of our solar projects. NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause NRG’s
actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the
forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered
in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may
affect NRG’s future results included in NRG’s filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140212006613/en/
Multimedia
Available:http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50802352&lang=en
Contact:
NRG
Media:
Jeff Holland, 760-710-3828
or
Investors:
Chad Plotkin, 609-524-4526